How can I download apple music playlist as mp3 to computer?

In fact, many people, like me, want to download Apple Music playlists to mp3 and put them on computers or MP4 for offline listening. But Apple does not have this function, which makes people crazy. I searched the entire Internet before I figured it out. Below I will share two methods I have used to download apple music playlist to mp3. The command line also has it:

Method 1: Command line tool + Token song capture method (suitable for those who know a little about computers)

If you know a little about command lines, you can try this slightly "black technology" method. The general principle is to use Apple Music's API to parse the playlist information, and then use command line tools such as yt--dlp to download the corresponding song mp3.
Key steps:

1. Get the playlist ID: For example, the link of your favorite playlist: https://music.apple.com/cn/playlist/xxxx
2. Use Apple Music API to get all the song names and singers (Bearer Token is required, you can search online to find out how to get the token)
3. Use yt--dlp to batch download
   For example, the command:

yt--dlp --extract-audio --audio-format mp3 "ytsearch:song name singer"

  4. Automatically convert to mp3 after batch download, fully automatic.

This method is very geeky, but it can really achieve the effect of downloading apple music playlist to mp3! It's just a little bit of trouble in the early stage, but it's a one-time solution.

Method 2: Recording software method (suitable for novices, zero foundation)
If you don't want to mess around with the command line, then use recording software. Like Audials, Apowersoft Recorder, you can directly "record" what you play on Apple Music:

1. Open Apple Music and start playing the playlist
2. Open the recording software and select "System Audio Recording"
3. Record the entire playlist with one click, and automatically split the tracks after recording
4. Export to mp3, and directly download apple music playlist to mp3!
5. The disadvantage is that it has to be recorded in "real time", but it is simple and has no threshold, so anyone can use it.

The command line is suitable for tinkerers, the recording method is suitable for novices, and the professional tool is suitable for lazy people. There is always one that suits you!

Apple-Music-Downloader is an open-source project on GitHub that provides a command-line method to download Apple Music playlists by automating the Apple Music Web or iTunes app. It does not bypass DRM directly but rather plays and records the songs in real-time using AppleScript (on macOS) or similar tools on other platforms.

What Is Apple-Music-Downloader?

1. Is written in Python and AppleScript (for macOS).
2. Automates Apple Music playback from iTunes or the Music app.
3. Uses system audio recording to capture high-quality song playback.
4. Can record entire playlists track by track and split them into individual MP3 or WAV files.
5. Retains metadata such as song title, album, and artist via Apple Music API.

How to Download Apple Music Playlist to MP3

1. Install Dependencies:

brew install blackhole-2ch
brew install python3
pip3 install -r requirements.txt 

2. Set Up Audio Routing: Go to Audio MIDI Setup and create a Multi-Output Device with BlaackHole and your normal speakers. Set system output to the Multi-Output Device so that the script can "hear" what is being played.

3. Log into your Apple Music account and open the playlist you want to download.

4. Run the script for downloading Apple music playlist to computer:

python3 downloader.py

The script:

1. Plays each song.
2. Records the audio using the virtual audio driver.
3. Splits tracks based on silence/gaps or duration.
4. Tags the output files using Apple Music metadata.

I saw someone propose using iMusicGo to download Apple music playlist. Even though iMusicGo and similar software claim to remove DRM and give you high-quality MP3s, the quality isn’t always perfect. Sometimes, the conversion process can mess with the audio a bit — you might notice slight drops in sound clarity or some compression artifacts, especially if you pick lower quality settings. potential bugs or glitches. These apps sometimes don’t work perfectly all the time. You might run into errors, incomplete downloads, or files that don’t have correct tags or album art. It can be annoying to fix that stuff manually afterward.

And honestly, from my experience, it’s kind of a hassle if you are planing to download Apple music playlist. It takes a few steps, and sometimes you have to troubleshoot. Plus, if you’re after genuinely high-quality, legal downloads, paying for a legit service or sticking with Apple Music’s offline feature (if you’re okay with the DRM) might be better.

To download Apple music playlist, if you use a free audio recording program like Audac1ty or OBS Studio to "record" the playback of your playlist. Audio quality can be a bit of a hit or miss. If you go the route of recording the playback (like using Audac1ty or OBS), you’re often stuck with whatever quality the playback is at, which might not be as crisp as the original files. Plus, if you try to record in real-time, it can be a pain—you need to play the playlist and record it at the same time, and any hiccup can ruin the whole thing.

Second, legality and ethics—even if it’s just for personal use, technically, it’s usually against Apple’s terms of service. That means you’re kind of skating on thin ice, and there’s always a risk of getting caught or having your account banned if they detect what you’re doing.

Third, metadata and ID3 tags (like song titles, artist info, album art) often don’t transfer well when you record or convert from streaming. So, your MP3s might end up looking pretty barebones, and you’d have to spend extra time fixing that stuff manually.

And lastly, time-consuming and frustrating. It’s not as simple as just hitting a download button. You’re dealing with workarounds, potential software glitches, and lower quality audio. Honestly, I’ve tried it to download Apple music playlist, and it’s more hassle than it’s worth if you want good quality and a smooth experience.

I suggest giving a try on iMusicGo, one of the best apple music downloader software to help you download songs, playlists and albums from Apple Music to MP3 on Windows or Mac. iMusicGo is is a comprehensive music conversion tool designed for Apple Music users who wish to download and convert their music for offline playback across various devices.

It works by convert iTunes M4P audio files and audiobooks into widely-used formats like MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC, AIFF, and ALAC. By removing DRM protection, iMusicGo ensures that the downloaded content retains 100% lossless quality and full ID3 tags, including track lyrics, facilitating seamless organization and playback.

Step 1: Install an Apple Music playlist downloader like iMusicGo on your PC or Mac.

Step 2: Launch the app and log in to your Apple Music account.

Step 3: Copy and paste the link to the playlist or browse inside the downloader.

Step 4: Select the desired output format (e.g. MP3) and quality.

Step 5: Click Download to download Apple music playlist as mp3 to computer.

This method removes DRM and gives you true ownership of the files.

If you’re looking to download Apple music playlist onto your Windows computer for free, there are a few options, but they come with some caveats.

1. Apple Music Offline Mode: If you subscribe, you can download Apple music playlists directly within the Apple Music app on iOS or iTunes on Windows for offline listening. But these files are DRM-protected, so they won’t be accessible outside the app or as MP3s.
2. iTunes Purchase: Buying songs from the iTunes Store gives you MP3 or AAC files that you own outright, and you can keep and play them anywhere.

Free Alternatives

• Record the Audio: You could use a free audio recording program like Audac1ty or OBS Studio to "record" the playback of your playlist. This method is technically legal if it’s for personal use, but it’s a bit of a hassle, and the quality might not be perfect..
• Third-Party Streaming Recorders: Some free tools claim to record streaming music, but many are unreliable or risky (malware, poor quality). Use these with caution—your safety and device security come first.

Downloading Apple Music playlists via unofficial tools often breaches Apple’s terms and can be illegal, plus it risks malware. The safest, most legit way is to subscribe to Apple Music and use their offline feature, or buy songs directly from iTunes if you want MP3s you own. If you’re just trying to avoid paying, I’d say skip the risky methods—they’re not worth the trouble.

To download an Apple Music playlist to your computer, you need to use either the Apple Music desktop app (on macOS or Windows) or a third-party tool if you want to keep the music as local MP3 files. 

Download Apple Music playlist as MP3 to Computer

This method is going to use the Apple Music App (requires subscription). Apple Music app allows you to download playlists for offline playback, but you can’t export them as MP3s.

1. Open the Apple Music app (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows).

2. Sign in with your Apple ID that has an active Apple Music subscription.

3. Find the playlist you want to download.

4. Click the Download button (cloud icon with a downward arrow).

4. The playlist will be saved for offline playback in the app.

⚠️ Note: Songs are DRM-protected and can't be played outside the Apple ecosystem.

This is the official way to download Apple Music playlist to computer as mp3!

Downloading music from streaming services like Apple Music without proper authorization can be considered copyright infringement. It’s kinda like stealing, even if it’s just for personal use. Not something you wanna get into trouble with. Many of the tools or websites claiming to download Apple Music playlist to MP3 are shady. Some can contain malware, viruses, or adware that could mess up your device or steal your info. Always be super cautious if you go down this route.

Even if you manage to convert the files, the sound quality might not be great, and you could lose some of the fidelity you’d get from the original streams. Apple might detect unusual activity if you’re cracking their DRM, and that could lead to account suspensions or other penalties.

In short, while it might seem tempting to have your playlists offline as MP3s, doing it through unofficial means can be risky both legally and security-wise. If you really want to keep a copy, consider subscribing to Apple Music’s offline feature (which is legit), or buying the tracks directly from the iTunes Store and download Apple Music playlist to MP3.